There are a variety of known cooking grates used with charcoal, gas and electric grills and grill type appliances. Typical grill assemblies include a lower firebox that houses the particular heat source. The firebox includes an upper ledge that serves to support a cooking grate above the heat source. A lid, which may be hinged to the firebox, is also provided to enclose the grate and firebox and forming a cooking chamber. The typical horizontal cross-sectional shape of the firebox is generally circular, square or rectangular, with the cooking grate having a complimentary shape to sit on and be supported by the ledge of the firebox.
Conventional cooking grates typically include a plurality of elongated members or rungs that are usually parallel to one another and separated by gaps or spaces to create a cooking surface. Support or cross members may also be provided which are transverse to or otherwise cross the plurality of elongated members or rungs. A frame that coincides with the shape of the firebox may also be provided to which the rungs and cross-member may be attached. Other conventional cooking grates are plate type members having slots and raised surfaces to support the food to be cooked.
One type of conventional cooking grate is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,490,452, which is assigned to Weber-Stephen Products LLC. There, the grate includes a number of elongate rods with openings between them. The rods are attached to a circular perimeter ring that coincides with the shape of the firebox. Support or cross members are also provided. The circular ring sits on the ledge of the firebox and supports the rungs to form the cooking surface. Another type of conventional grate is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,481,343, which provides for a rectangular plate type grate having raised portions with openings. Other exemplary type grates are shown and described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,810,484, 7,640,929 and 7,373,875, all of which are also assigned to Weber-Stephen Products LLC.
Although effective, conventional grates are slow to respond to thermal changes, largely because of the solid nature of the rungs and their inability to thermally communicate with one another. This may result in, among other things, ineffective searing of food. Solid rungs may also result in excess smoke and grease build-up depending upon the type of grill. Therefore, there is a need for cooking grates that provide better thermal management and more efficient heat transfer. The present inventions and the various embodiments thereof achieve one or all of these goals as well as others.